Improvement in pneumatic elevators



J. L. AGNEW. Pneumatic Elevator. No. 218,209.

Patented Aug. 5, I879.

Fig 1.

.QNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.JOHN L. AGNEW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT 'IN PNEUMATIC ELEVATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 218,209, dated August 5, 1879; application filed To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN I1. AGNEW, of Chicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented a-new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic Elevators, of which the following is a. full description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 1s a vertical section; Fig. 2., a sec-,

tionfof theparts shown, taken at w of Fig. 1, looking up Fig. 3, a bottom view of the parts shown.

The'object of my invention is to provide improved devices for utilizing air-pressure in I eperatilrg the platform of an elevator, which} accomplish by providing a well of suflieien't depth, which is tobe nearlyfilled with water,

and by providing a cylinder or tube having its upper end permanently connected with the platform, said tube being located in tg well, andbeiiigopeiiat "the bottom,"but otherwise air-tight, and moving .up and down with the platform or cage, air being forced into the cylinder or tube, all as more fully hereinafter described. y

I provide a suitable counter-balance for the ube, and use an air-pump, an equalizingtank, and suitable valves.

In the drawings, A represents. the. ground. floor of a building. B is the second-floor. C may be rega'rded as the fourth floor, the third floor being omitted.

- D is a well, sunk into the ground. It may be made of iron tubing or masonry, as may be most convenient, but should be water-tight.

Its depth depends upon the height to which the platform is to be elevated.

E is a tube, which may be made of steel. It is open at the bottom, but otherwise is air-- tight. It is connected at its upper end with- -the platform F in an air-tight manners-or it may be provided with an air-tight head, and beiconueeted with the platform in any suitable manner- M M in l l I i a are guides upon the per end of the tube E. I do not limit myself to guides of this form,

any suitable known guide may be used. 11'

are guides upon the lower end of the tube E. I are posts, one upon two ofthe opposite sides of the passage-way for the platform, as usual.

c is an'air-chamber at or near the lower end of end with the upper end of the tube E.

form. As shown,it is formed of sheet metal,

inserted in the tube E, and secured thereto in an air-tight manner, the wall of the tube E forming the outer. wall of the air-chamber. ,It

- is advisable to bevel the upper and lower portions of the'inner wall of this chamberc, as shown, to facilitate the movement of the tube through the water. The tube might be eoun' terbalanced by means of weights; but, as now informed, I prefer the air-chamber a.

G is a suitable air-pump. H is an air-tank, located between the pump and tube E, for the purpose of equaliz ing'the pressure and maintaining a supply of air. tube. 6 is a flexible tube, one end of which is connected with the tube d, and the otlier nstead of this flexible. tube, a rigid tube might be used for conveying air from the pump to the interior of the tube E; but such rigid tube would have to be carried down,to the bottom of the well, between the wall thereof and the tube E, and up into the tube E, and somewhat above the water-line in the well.

In connection with the engine, I propose to use an automatic valve arranged to cut oii at a. given pressure. Any suitable gage may be used to indicate the pressure, and-any wellknown brake may be used. So other appliances in common use with elevators, which are adapted to be used in connection with my de- .of the top.

When the platform is at its lowest point, the water in the tube E and in the well will stand at thesame level, if there be no air-pressure in the tube E. Now, if air be forced into the tube E, by means of the pump G, through the tube 0, the effect will be at first to displace a small portion of the water in E, and then the platform will be elevated by the air-pressure.

d is a rigid One pound pressure will raise the water in the well about thirteen and a half inches, the cylinder E being four feet in diameter, and the water in the tube E will then be about the same distanve below the ordinary level, the relative sizes of th tube and well being as above given.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as fellows:

l. A well, D, and a tube, E, adapted to receive air under pressure, ;;1u combination with the platform of en 'elevetoq-substautially as and for the purpose set'fh'rth.

2. The air-ehamber 0, ill-combination with the tube E, platform F, and well D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

. JOHN L. AGNEW. Witnesses:

E. A. WEST, .0. W. BOND. 

